


Rose Wall

by BleuSarcelle



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Pining Lance (Voltron), Pre-Relationship, kind...of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-08-14 00:30:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16482662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BleuSarcelle/pseuds/BleuSarcelle
Summary: “You should come by the shop some time,” Mrs. García says slowly. “My grandchildren like doing a small gathering behind the shop ever last Friday of the month; you’re more than invited, you know.”Keith’s eyes widen in surprise. “Ah, you’re really nice, Mrs. García, but I couldn’t butt in like that,” he says sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck when the elder waves him off with a snort.“Nonsense, mi niño, the more the merrier!” Mrs. Garcia reassurances, patting him on the cheek kindly. “You’ll be my honorary guest. You must come.”“Mrs. García -”“Before I die?”That’s the oldest, quite literally, trick ever and yet, “Okay then.”





	Rose Wall

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ShatterinSeconds](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShatterinSeconds/gifts).



> Alriiiight!!! Well, this is a fic I made for @shatterinseconds, for winning a small game in Tumblr :D
> 
> Hope you like it <3

Keith’s morning routine was pretty standard.

He would wake up, _almost_ trip over his cat who has never learnt to sleep on his own bed at the end of _his_ bed but instead decides to sleep _next_ to it, do a quick run on the park behind his apartment, make an omelette with ham and cheese, brush his teeth and off to the bus stop he would go.

As he said, it was pretty standard.

But Mrs. García changed all of that pretty quick.

“No, no, _mi niño_ , you’ll stab someone if you push too hard,” Mrs. García says as she carefully reaches out and maneuvers his hands, leaving her own knitting to the side to help him on his own.

Keith watches carefully as her wrinkled hands work over his own with knowing moves. It’s entrancing how fast and yet careful Mrs. García moves and before he knows it it’s his own hands copying them.

“See? It’s down and then up, _carefully_.”

Keith nods slowly and does as told. Mrs. García has been trying to teach him how to knit for the past few weeks before their respective buses arrive and he has come to find out its one of the small comforts he finds every day in this new life he’s settling in.

He knows Mrs. García gets on the AB-03 bus, one before his own. She told him so on the very first day they met after Keith had arrived at the bus stop with a blank face and yet fidgeting nervously on his feet.

She must’ve noticed his uneasiness back then because it wasn’t long before she started chatting with him animatedly, telling him all about the town’s wonders and her family history.

He had to admit, he didn’t care much in the beginning, too preoccupied on whenever he would miss his bus to his new work and mess up on his first day. But Mrs. García had been patient, filling the silence Keith didn't dare to break from his part.

And she had been nice, really nice. It was her patient smile and kind words that slowly gained his trust and in less than a week, Mrs. Garcia had him all wrapped up around her finger.

Still does, even after a month.

“There you go,” Mrs.García says proudly as she leans back and claps at the way his hands now move smoothly between the threads. “My youngest grandson would be jealous of you. It took him almost two months to learn this trick.”

For some reason, Keith’s chest fills with pride at the words. Ha, take that unknown grandson.

“How’s work, mi niño? Anything new?” Mrs. García asks as she goes back to her own knitting, humming quietly under her breath as Keith thinks over his answer.

“Well, it’s challenging, as expected,” Keith shrugs, sticking out his tongue in concentration as he continues to move the needles. “There’s a lot of stuff to learn in a short time but I’m getting the hang of it.”

“That’s nice,” Mrs. García says softly. “Any new friends?”

“Oh, uh, no, not really,” Keith mumbles quietly, cheeks heating up at the confession. “Which is fine, I don’t mind, I know I’m not the most...approachable person.”

“You’re a _sweetheart_ ,” Mrs. García tells him, smacking him on the arm as a reprimand. “You will find the right people soon enough.”

“Ah, thank you, Mrs. García,” Keith chuckles, blushing embarrassed. “But it’s fine, I got Shiro; I don’t see him often since he’s always on the run being the Captain but he said we’re soon doing the teams.”

“Oh, that’s good! You can bond with your team and finally leave that apartment of yours!” Mrs. García cheers, smiling playfully when Keith barks a laugh.

“Hah, yeah, I, uh, I guess,” he chuckles, shaking his head. “I just, I just don’t know how to…”

“Mingle?” Mrs. García offers, eyebrows wiggling playfully.

Keith snorts, quickly covering his mouth with his hand. “Um, I was looking for the word ‘socialize’ but yes, ‘mingle’ works too.”

Mrs. García laughs softly before she reaches out and squeezes his wrist. “Mi niño, you’re wonderful, you just need a small push.”

“I guess,” Keith mumbles, offering a weak smile as he shrugs.

“You should come by the shop some time,” Mrs. García says slowly, patting him on the forearm tenderly before she looks behind him and slowly stands up. “My grandchildren like doing a small gathering behind the shop ever last Friday of the month; you’re more than invited, you know.”

Keith’s eyes widen in surprise. “Ah, you’re really nice, Mrs. García, but I couldn’t butt in like that,” he says sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck when the elder waves him off with a snort.

“Nonsense, mi niño, the more the merrier!” Mrs. Garcia reassurances, patting him on the cheek kindly. “You’ll be my honorary guest. You must come.”

“Mrs. García -”

“Before I die?”

That’s the oldest, quite literally, trick ever and _yet_ , “Okay then.” Keith gives in quickly, suppressing the urge to slap himself once he realizes he had fallen into Mrs. Garcia’s tricks once again.

The older woman doesn’t even look ashamed. If anything, she looks beyond pleased. “Good, I look forward to seeing you then.”

Keith can only chuckle quietly at the woman’s tactics. “So I guess that will be the first time for me taking the AB-03 bus, huh?”

Mrs. García nods happily. “That’s right,” she says as he starts picking up her knitting tools, putting them back on her bag. “It will leave you on the same street the flower shop is in. It’s hard to miss, really, just look for the brick wall covered in _pretty_ roses down the street.”

“Sounds like a lovely place already,” Keith says quietly, passing her the borrowed knitting tools he had been using.

“It’s the people who make it lovely,” Mrs. García says softly, giving him a smile as she takes the tools. “I will see you next Friday, mi niño.”

Keith nods, standing up at the same time she does and walking with her towards the bus door. He smiles kindly when the Mrs. García thanks him for the help and then the door closes.

Keith stares at the bus until it takes a turn before he looks down and takes out his phone. His own bus arrives the moment he hits ‘saved’ on his calendar app.

 

* * *

 

The  AB-03 is pretty nice. Maybe it had to do with the fact that it’s been a while since the work schedules ended and all that is left are a few teens immerse in their own head and some old couples on the front.

It’s a nice ride in general but the moment he steps out of the bus on the stop Mrs. Garcia had told him, he can’t help but feel uneasy.

 _‘Can’t back down now, though,’_ he thinks, sighing to himself. Keith hums as he shoves his hands inside his jeans’ pocket and starts walking down the street, looking over the few shops he passes.

Most of them are closed, considering it’s past seven, but there are a few ones that are still lighted up with dim lights from the inside. He recognizes some as bookstores and some cafés.

Keith takes note of them for future reference before he continues his search. He comes to a stop, though, when he finds his destiny.

Kind of. Mrs. García had mentioned a wall covered in roses but she didn't mention the _two_ shops with that description.

“Um,” Keith mumbles, eyebrows furrowed together as his eyes jump from shop to shop.

They are across each other and both of them made out of brick. The roses don’t cover much of the brick itself, mainly just being spread over one of its edges up to the half of the wall.

But both shops had their roses in different directions. One of them had them coming from the top while the second one had them coming from the right side.

 _‘Wall covered in pretty roses’_ , Mrs. García had said. And they _were_ pretty. They both had flowers. Hence, both were pretty.

Keith might be late for the party.

“Ah, Kogane, we meet again!”

Keith jumps at the sudden voice, quickly turning on his spot to face whoever was behind him and his heart slows down at the sight of a guy near his age.

The guy tilts his head to the side, eyes narrowed as he glares at him. Keith has the slight suspicion that he would be pointing at him in accusation if his arms were not occupied by paper bags at the moment.

“Ah...your last name...we do meet again,” Keith answers slowly, raising his shoulders innocently as he frowns in confusion. “How’ve you been?”

The guy stares at him in disbelief before he groans and throws his head back. “Seriously? You don’t even remember my name?”

“I’m, I’m sorry?” Keith offers confused, turning his body to the side just in case. “Uh, you’re…”

“The name is Lance,” the guy says with a sigh, a small pout on his lips as he drops his shoulders in defeat. “You know, Lance McClain.”

Keith blinks.

“Also known as the Tailor?”

Keith purses his lips.

“Maybe known as the Sharpshooter?”

Keith hisses in shame.

“Aw, man, come on! We’re rivals!” the brunet shouts, huffing when Keith doesn’t answer. “You know, Lance and Keith, neck and neck -”

“Oh!” Keith shouts then, a small smile growing on his lips he snaps his fingers in realization. “Oh, wait, you’re that dude who aced the underwater simulator, right?”

“Yes!” Lance shouts, shaking the paper bags on his arms to express his feelings. “Yes, I’m that dude!”

“And the dude who keeps stealing all the pudding at the cafeteria.”

“Yeah! I’m that - wait, no!”

Keith laughs, hand running through his hair. “No, I’m kidding. I’m sorry about that, my brain is still scrambled with all the moving,” he says, holding out a hand towards the brunet. “I didn’t mean to dismiss you.”

Lance snorts, waving his apology with a shake of his head. “Psh, it’s fine, you’re forgiven; I honestly forgot you’re kind of new to all this - ah, shit, hang on, lemme just -”

Keith snickers as he steps closer to the brunet and taking a few bags from his arms when he sees him struggle to get his hand free. “Here, let me help.”

“Thanks,” Lance mumbles quietly before he sighs and nods. “Okay, now we can shake hands.”

Keith snorts, rolling his eyes as he laughs. He limits himself to nod, holding out one of his hand as he holds his shared amount of bags with his left arm.

He smiles sheepishly when their hands make contact in a strong grip. “Keith Kogane, it’s a pleasure to remember you.”

Lance snickers as he breaks the hold. “Lance McClain, it’s a pleasure to be remembered.”

“Come on,” Keith whines, laughing only when Lance does so himself.

“Fine fine, I’ll stop,” Lance gives in with a grin. “Do you need any help? I noticed your lost puppy look a mile away.”

“Hey,” Keith complains but doesn’t really denies it. “Well, okay, I mean, yes but not by much.”

“Uh-huh,” Lance says slowly as he narrows his eyes playfully. “Where’re you going, anyway? If it is alright for me to know.”

Keith hums nonchalantly. “Well, I’m pretty sure to a flower shop; a really nice old lady invited me a few days ago for this gathering she has monthly with her family and friends but…”

He trails off, offering a helpless shrug and an embarrassed smile towards the brunet. Lance chuckles quietly at him before he narrows his eyes, a faint odd edge in them that makes Keith think the brunet knows something he doesn't.

“You don’t sound excited,” Lance says slowly, offering a smile. “Are you sure you want to go?”

“I do,” Keith says quickly, nodding along. “I just - I’m still new here, I don’t know a lot of people and even when I do, I get awkward and I just don’t want to intrude, I guess? It _is_ a family and close friends gathering, after all.”

“Hm, yeah, sound legit,” Lance hums, nodding to show his agreement, “but maybe it slipped your mind that if the lady invited you, maybe she considers you a friend?”

“I guess,” Keith says slowly, frown still decorating his face. “I just - this is actually...new for me.”

“How so?” Lance asks interested and Keith resists the urge to rub the back of his neck.

“I usually don’t do...social events,” he says carefully, wincing at how bad it sounds even to his ears. “I’m taking a jump here, I guess, by stepping out of my comfort zone. I don’t know what to expect.”

“That’s scary,” Lance agrees before he nudges him with his elbow, making him meet his gaze with a soft smile, “and really brave. Don’t worry too much, Mullet-man, you’ll get through it.”

Keith snorts, rolling his eyes at the nickname but lets it slide. His chest does feel lighter, after all. “I guess if I ever find out which shop it _is_.”

“Ah, you have come to the puzzle of Arus St, I see,” Lance hums, nodding his head along as he cups his chin. “Yup, many before you have come in hopes of finding treasures and riches like no other but only a few chosen ones are able to figure out the truth!”

 _‘This dork,’_ Keith thinks, stomach-turning and lips curving. _‘That’s cute.’_

“Well, there’s only two flower shops on Arus St,” Lance continues, keeping his voice to add more effect at his theatrics, “One blessed with the name of Varadero’s Garden and the other one called Blooming Pattersons.”

Keith nods seriously, scratching his chin in deep thought. “It is quite the puzzle.”

“It is indeed!” Lance agreed loudly, adding a gasp at the end. “Travelers all over the world wonder which of them is the blessed shop since the only clue inside the secret, but quite accessible with a wifi password, books of its legend is a wall covered in roses.”

Keith hums, lips pursed but his eyes twinkled with amusement. “How do I know which shop is it then?”

“Maybe make a wild guess?” Lance offers innocently but his eyebrows wiggle mischievously. It makes Keith narrow his eyes in suspicion. “Maybe it’s the flower shop with the _prettiest_ flowers?”

“Oh, come _on_ , man,” Keith laughs, shaking his head before he sighs. “Ugh, alright, um, Blooming Pattersons? They _look_ pretty.”

Lance snorts loudly at the answer, entire body stopping as he shakes with laughter. Keith huffs with a pout but waits for the brunet to calm down, his own traitorous lips turning upward at some point during Lance’s fit.

“Oh, man, don’t let my Abuela hear you say _that_ ,” Lance snickers, straightening himself up from his bend over a position to catch Keith’s eyes. “She would throw a fit.”

“What?” Keith yelps, eyes widening in surprise at the brunet’s words. “Mrs. García is your -”

“Grandmother, yeah,” Lance nods proudly, throwing a wink at the end.

“Why didn't you tell me?” Keith groans but his lips twitch in amusement when Lance barks a laugh and raises a hand in surrender.

“To be fair,” Lance starts, grin still wide and bright, “I _just_ found out; I didn’t know you were, well, _you_ when she told me to pick up a friend of hers at the bus stop.”

Keith blinks in surprise, head tilting to the side as he processes the words. “Then _why_ did you talk to me?” he asks slowly, eyebrows furrowed together.

Lance’s eyes widen as if not expecting the question.

“Uh,” Lance mumbles and Keith watches in amaze as the brown cheeks get darker as the brunet gets more flustered.

 _‘Cute,’_ Keith’s mind supplies as he feels his own lips curving into a smile. _‘Really cute.’_

“Hey, look! That’s my brother Marco!” Lance shouts out then, waving wildly towards the person near the shop on their sidewalk. Ah, so it was Varadero’s Garden. “Hey, Marco! I found abuela’s friend!”

Lance’s brother - Marco - blinks at them both before he points a finger at Keith.

“Wait, isn't he your -”

“Co-worker, yeah! Funny coincidence, right? _Hah!_ ” Lance cuts in sharply, walking faster to meet his brother while pushing Keith forward by the arm. “Go get abuela, please? Before Keith escapes and sniffles Patterson's flowers.”

“ _Hey_ ,” Keith complains, elbowing the brunet on the ribs with a grin. Lance throws him one back before pushing him towards the shop.

“Chop, chop, Mullet!”

Keith allows himself to be dragged towards the inside of the flower shop, blinking surprised as the bypass the shop itself before going through the back door and _that’s_ when Keith gasps.

“Oh, wow,” Keith mumbles to himself, taking in the sight before him. The garden is average on the size but the roots and flowers hanging from the walls make it look bigger than it is.

Every corner is filled with flower pots and vessels. Every table full with small and big bouquets, going from diverse flowers to classic red roses.

Keith’s entranced by all of it, so in theory, he shouldn’t have noticed, but he _does_. He feels as Lance’s hand leaves his lower back and steps back. He panics for a second, thinking that he will be left alone.

But Lance stays, now being on his left and taking the paper bags from him with a smile. Keith smiles back, letting go of the knot in his stomach.

“Ah, Alessandro, you found him!”

“I sure did, abuela,” Lance answers, eyes lingering on Keith’s for a second too long before he turns towards the call with a chuckle. “Just a second longer and he would have been a goner, ending up in the Patterson’s.”

“Oh, shameful,” Mrs, García says with a disapproving shake of her head, her nose scrunched at the mention of the shop. “I’m glad Ales saved you, then! Now, please, come in, mi niño, come in!”

“Ah, thank you, Mrs. García,” Keith mumbles, throwing a pleading look at Lance over his shoulder. Lance chuckles before he nods at him and follows him and his grandmother close by.

Keith allows himself to drop his shoulders in relief.

 

* * *

 

 

The impossible happened.

Keith actually _mingled_.

But only because it had been so _easy_. Ridiculously easy. Mrs. Garcia’s family was loud and noisy but welcoming and kind.

No one ever questioned his presence and everyone invited him to their conversation even if he didn’t have much to say.

And Lance had been there, every time.

“I’m telling you, man! Iverson is a big softie but he hides it on his pirate eyepatch!” Lance cackles, rolling his eyes when Keith laughs.

“Are we talking about the same Iverson? The one who stole Director Holt’s pudding last week?”

“I said softie, not _nice_.”

Keith snorts, needing to put his cup down to avoid spilling his drink. It’s incredible, really, how easy he has managed to let himself loose and he can’t even blame the drink since it's just punch.

No, he can only really blame Lance.

And thank him, too.

Lance’s eyes softens quickly at the words, smile losing its playfulness and being replaced by kindness. It set something inside Keith on fire, urging him to see that look on those blue eyes more often.

“Do you really have to go?” Lance asks quietly, lips pursed.

Keith offers him a small smile with a shrug. “Yeah, I know for a fact that bus drivers don’t wait for anyone, not if it is their last shift.”

Lance sighs in disappointment but raises his hands in mock surrender, nodding along as he accepts the words. “Alright, alright _but_ before you go.”

He holds a finger up, silently telling Keith to wait before he turns and digs around one of the pots with flowers behind him.

Keith blinks in confusion for a few seconds, watching every move Lance makes as he digs and looks for whatever he is searching. Until Lance springs back up, shouting a victorious ‘Ah-ha!’ as he raises a flower above his head.

“Found it,” the brunet says with a chuckle, smoothly holding it out towards Keith and nodding encouragingly. “Here, it’s tradition.”

Keith stares at the flower, ignorant of its name but enchanted by its bright colors.

“Tradition?” he asks softly, eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he looks away from the flower to meet Lance’s eyes.

“Yeah, at the end of the night, our guests leave with _at least_ one flower with them,” Lance explains softly, swallowing down his nerves before he smoothly cuts the flower’s stem a little below its receptacle.

Lance holds the flower up in question before nodding at Keith. The man tilts his head in confusion, which for a reason it’s too endearing for Lance to keep his snickers to himself.

“Here, let me,” Lance says quietly, smiling sheepishly as he reaches out and carefully tucks the flower behind Keith’s ear, fingers faintly touching the skin. He pulls away slowly with a nod. “It, uh, it looks good on you, man.”

Keith blinks, swallowing dryly before he slowly reaches up, the tips of his fingers gently stroking the edge of the flower.

“Oh,” he mumbles under his breath as a small smile grows on his lips. Keith purses his lips then, looking around with narrowed eyes until his gaze settles down on something on his right.

Lance’s eyes follow him the entire way, blinking in surprise when Keith leans to the side to grab a flower near him before he comes back to face him.

“Here,” Keith says, smiling boyishly at the brunet. His smiles fall when Lance just stares at the flowers without blinking. “What?”

“You want me to die?” Lance breathes out in shock, hand over his chest as he looks up from the flower to catch Keith’s eye. “Keith, I’m hurt.”

Keith’s wide widen in panic. “What! No! Is that what that flower means? Oh my - no! I, uh, I didn’t think - !”

He cuts himself short when he hears a snort and he quickly looks back at Lance, mouth open as he watches the way the brunet shakes with laughter.

“Oh, you ass,” Keith mumbles, glaring at the brunet with heated cheeks and he tries hard to push down his own smile when Lance laughter turns into giggles.

“No, no, I’m sorry, I just - I had to take it, man,” Lance says between his laughter, raising his free hand as a sign of peace. “Don’t worry, this flower doesn’t mean that.”

Keith purses his lips as he arches an eyebrow. “What does it mean then?” he asks curiously with a playful smile.

Lance mimics his smile. “How about this; come to the next gathering and I will tell you its meaning.”

Keith snorts, covering his mouth with his hands before he rolls his eyes and shots him a playful glare. “Ah, we’re going to play that card, huh?“

Lance’s smiles soften. “Only if you want, man.”

Keith mimics him. “Yeah, I think I do.”

“Awesome.” Lance beams, throwing a wink at the end. “See you at work next Monday though, right?”

Keith laughs as he waves goodbye and walks away. “Looking forward to it.”

He’s not the only one. It’s barely a second after the door closes behind Keith that Mrs. Garcia appears next to her grandson, eyes blinking in mock innocence as she holds her hands behind her back.

“You know, you could have just told him you think he’s adorable with words,” she hums, nudging him with her shoulder with a playful but kind smile. “Instead with a flower.”

Lance returns the smile ten folds.

“Our family speaks in flowers, though,” Lance says slowly, caressing gently the flower in his hand before smiling softly. “He will find out eventually.”

His abuela laughs softly, patting him on the shoulder. “I will prepare the prettiest bouquet for your date.”

“Abuela, you’re the best.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Here’s my tumblr, just in case: [bleusarcelle](http://bleusarcelle.tumblr.com)  
> AND my writing tumblr for small drabbles I don't post here: [bleusarcellewrites](http://bleusarcellewrites.tumblr.com)


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